The Day I Became My Brother’s Keeper

Witnessing my brother’s home birth strengthened our bond as siblings

Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash

I was the last child until April 1996, when my mother surprised us with the news that she was pregnant. I was overwhelmed with emotions as she made this life-changing announcement.

Would it be a boy or a girl? There was an undeniable thrill at the prospect of welcoming a new baby into our family — a tiny, innocent being who would bring more joy and laughter!

Yet, amidst that excitement lurked a deeper, more troubling worry — the thought of being all the more taunted and bullied in school gnawed at me.

Elementary school kids can exhibit a surprising level of cruelty. Often, they become parrots for the hurtful gossip they’ve overheard from their parents, eagerly sharing unkind tales with their classmates.

Their actions frequently mirror the domineering and judgmental attitudes they’ve absorbed from their adults, reflecting a learned behavior that manifests in teasing, exclusion, and mockery.

This cycle of negativity can create a harsh environment, where the echoes of unsympathetic lessons from home overshadow innocence.

The fear of becoming a target for gossip and ridicule weighed me down. At that young age, the…